Loving Arms
Children's sermon
Object:
Print “EVOL” on placard, “LOVE” on the other side
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you.” (v. 34a)
Good morning little children,
Jesus calls his disciples “little children.” Why so? All followers of Jesus are little children — kids, moms, dads, you and me. We are all learning and growing in faith.
So to everybody here this morning, (to the congregation) “Good morning little children.” (congregation may respond with an “also to you”)
Do you ever say “What's new?” to someone? (children respond) What do you say when someone says “What's new?” to you? (children respond)
“What's new?” is a way of saying “What's going on in your life?”
Well, I have a new word to teach you. I made it up. “EVOL.” Ever heard of that before? (children respond)
Oh, my goodness.What does it mean? (Fiddle with the word upside down and sideways etc. You are trying to figure “EVOL” out.) (look puzzled at first)
Oh, here's what's new. Look on the back side. It's the word “LOVE.”
EVOL is just LOVE backwards. You just learned something new!
Jesus once said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you.”And how much has Jesus loved? This much. (open arms wide)
Jesus loved this much like on the cross. (to the congregation and children)
Now let's all open our arms this much. (all open arms wide)
The old way was like this: (Everybody folds arms in front of their chests and frowns)
EVOL flipped, is the New way. The new commandment of Jesus. (flip back and forth)
Because of this (arms wide open), we can do this, (arms folded become wide open) to others. Because of this, (clinched fist), we can extend to others open hands.
Arms are for hugging. Hands are for holding. Hearts are for loving.
Prayer: Because you Jesus loved us, hugged us, squeezed us with love, we get to as well. Amen.
Good morning little children,
Jesus calls his disciples “little children.” Why so? All followers of Jesus are little children — kids, moms, dads, you and me. We are all learning and growing in faith.
So to everybody here this morning, (to the congregation) “Good morning little children.” (congregation may respond with an “also to you”)
Do you ever say “What's new?” to someone? (children respond) What do you say when someone says “What's new?” to you? (children respond)
“What's new?” is a way of saying “What's going on in your life?”
Well, I have a new word to teach you. I made it up. “EVOL.” Ever heard of that before? (children respond)
Oh, my goodness.What does it mean? (Fiddle with the word upside down and sideways etc. You are trying to figure “EVOL” out.) (look puzzled at first)
Oh, here's what's new. Look on the back side. It's the word “LOVE.”
EVOL is just LOVE backwards. You just learned something new!
Jesus once said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you.”And how much has Jesus loved? This much. (open arms wide)
Jesus loved this much like on the cross. (to the congregation and children)
Now let's all open our arms this much. (all open arms wide)
The old way was like this: (Everybody folds arms in front of their chests and frowns)
EVOL flipped, is the New way. The new commandment of Jesus. (flip back and forth)
Because of this (arms wide open), we can do this, (arms folded become wide open) to others. Because of this, (clinched fist), we can extend to others open hands.
Arms are for hugging. Hands are for holding. Hearts are for loving.
Prayer: Because you Jesus loved us, hugged us, squeezed us with love, we get to as well. Amen.
